Mr. Jed Stone Shares @ Let's Talk Forum Hosted by Switch Lanes in Waukegan, Il 11/04/17

It's a problem on the streets or in the courtrooms or in the congress, you can not demean people by calling them names. I will not anyone call you a 'pig', but DO NOT call people 'thugs'. Don't do it. Shame on you. The second point. The second point, street gangs are not good. Street gangs are not good, but their not evil. I represented people of the El Roken Nation a number of years ago in federal court. And I got to know that there were women on social security and public aid living in those buildings that knew that because they lived in an El Roken building, they could go to the currency exchange and go back home without anybody bothering them. That ain't bad. And for them, it was great! I represented a guy by the name of Pauly Smock, who was the member of an Italian organization in the City of Chicago. And the people in his neighborhood could sweep the streets and sit out in front of their houses, knowing that a housing project was just a few blocks away and ain't nobody gonna bother Mrs. Smock. And that's not bad, that's not bad. So, I'm not supporting violence. I'm not supporting drug usage. And I'm not supporting guns and I'm certainly not supporting shooting. In fact, I would so love never again, in my life, to represent anyone who shot anyone. But, I am saying, it doesn't help the discourse to condemn street gangs. It doesn't help. And when my Catholic trained sheriff does it, and I'm not speaking behind his back because I would've said it to his face and I have said it to his face. He's forgotten that his Christ told us to 'hate the sin, but love the sinner', so please, no "thugs". No "street gangs are bad". Let's figure out a better way to keep communication going. Third point, I promised four. Third point; I am troubled by the indiscriminate shooting, I said that in my opening comments and others have said it today. But, you know, I represent young men and have for 43 years. Anybody would've told me that I'd be an lawyer for 43 years, I would've said, "you're kidding me" Ah, but for 43 years, I've been representing young men and I ask many of my clients, 17 and 18 year old, young men; "What are you gonna do in 10 years?" And they look at me with blank faces on. You can not expect someone who thinks they're not going to live until 21 to have any respect for life. You have to think about what your life means and how you're going to live it. And I want young people to know that they're lives are precious, important and that they can do great things. But, we all have to teach that lesson, including, by the way, the cop on the street. Including by the way, the cop on the street. Fourth point; there are only a handful of us, couple of hands full of us here today. Alright. I'd like to have seen 300 people in this auditorium, this sanctuary today, but I didn't get 300 people here today. But, you know what? There will be 300 people in your churches tomorrow and next week. And so my trainer, mentor, teacher Sal ____ used to say, "Each One, Teach One". This group of people isn't going to make Senate Bill 1657 law. We're not powerful enough. But, if we each take Senate Bill 1657 to our churches and synagogues and mosque and talk to our brothers and sisters. If each one of us goes to school and talk to our friends and classmates in school And each one of them talk to somebody and each one of them and each one of them talk to somebody All of a sudden, we have a movement and we can influence Rita Mayfield. So, so, do not despair. Last thing, I want to say, then I promise to shut up. In 1965, I got into a Volkswagon ugh Bug and drove from Chicago to Ann Arbor, Michigan to attend an anti-war teach in in the heart of the Vietnam war. There were 45 people at that teach in, 45. And on the way home, I was feeling a little, I was a kid and I was feeling a little depressed that there were only 45 people at the national teach in to end the war. 45 people. In 1969, there were 2 million people on the mall, in Washington, to end the war. From groups like this comes a mighty, mighty force. If you take all the ripples in the water, you get a wave. So, please, don't despair that we are small in number. Get out there tomorrow and Monday and work for the end of gun violence. All you're doing is saving lives. Thank you.